Physical Activity Patterns Among Adolescents in the Latin American and Caribbean Region

BACKGROUND: Physical activity implies different patterns, but studies focused on physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of different physical activity patterns among adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean region (LAC). METHODS: Pooled analysis of the most updated data of the Global School-based Student Health surveys. Age-standardized prevalence of four outcomes was estimated using information of last 7 days: physical inactivity (0 days of at least 60min/day), insufficient physical activity (<5 days of at least 60min/day), commuting physical activity (≥5 days of walking or biking to school), and sedentary behavior (≥3 hours/day of sitting time). RESULTS: A total of 132,071 records (33 countries) was analyzed, mean age 14.6 years, 51.2% girls. Pooled age-standardized prevalence of physical inactivity was 22.3%, greater among females (25.4%) than males (19.1%); insufficient physical activity was present in 67.7%, greater in females (73.6%) than males (61.5%); commuting physical activity was seen in 43.7%, similar between females (43.3%) and males (44.1%); and sedentary behavior was present in 43.4%, greater among females (45.4%) than males (41.3%). CONCLUSIONS: In LAC, almost two thirds of adolescents are insufficiently physically active, ≥40% are sedentary, and ≥20% are physically inactive, more frequent among girls than boys.